New geranium plant named ‘Fishelen’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fishelen’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of bright salmon-pink cup-shaped flowers with a small white eye; medium green foliage with strong zonation; medium sized, well-branched, round plant habit; and early to medium flowering respone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geraniumplant, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘Fishelen’.

‘Fishelen’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new geranium cultivars with bright salmon-pinkcup-shaped flowers, medium green foliage, and early to medium floweringresponse.

‘Fishelen’ was originated from a hybridization made by the inventor,Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, in 1993. The female parent was a hybrid seedling,designated no. 978/6, characterized by light salmon-pink, semi-doubleflowers, dark green foliage with weak zonation, and compact plant habit,which had been derived from crosses between salmon-pink coloredcommercial varieties ‘Schöne Helena’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,374),‘Fidelio’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,752), and ‘Regina’ (unpatented) with atetraploid line of ‘Stadt Bern’ (unpatented).

The male parent of ‘Fishelen’ was the commercial variety ‘Fishog’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 8,174), having light salmon-pink and white flowers,large, distinctly zoned, medium green leaves, and moderately vigorousgrowth.

‘Fishelen’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in 1994 in a controlledenvironment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fishelen’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in autumn1994 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain byAngelika Utecht. Horticultural examination of plants grown from thecuttings of the clone, initiated in May 1995 in Hillscheid, FederalRepublic of Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fishelen’are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Fishelen’, which in combination distinguishthis geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. weakly semi-double, salmon colored flowers with a small white eye;

2. semi-spherically shaped, medium to large umbels;

3. medium green foliage with strong zonation;

4. medium sized, round, and well-branched plant habit;

5. early to medium flowering response, and permanent flowering; and

6. good outdoor performance even in rainy periods.

‘Fishelen’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without any change in the genotype of the plant. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown inHillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fishelen’ is the variety ‘Schöne Helena’. Incomparision to ‘Schöne Helena’, ‘Fishelen’ has a more intense salmonflower color, with less distinct white margin and with a small white‘eye’ at the base of the upper petals, and somewhat larger and morecup-shaped florets, while ‘Schoöne Helena’ develops more inner petals.Furthermore, ‘Fishelen’ has much stronger zonation on leaves, andsomewhat better branching characteristics thereby developing a morerounded and more uniform plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fishelen’ with colors being as true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, on May26, 1998, 10 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings into 15-cm pots.The plants had not been pinched. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart(R.H.S.). The color values were determined indoors from flowersdeveloped in a greenhouse in May 1998 in Hillscheld, Germany.

Classification:

Botanical.—A hybrid of the species Pelargonium zonale L'Hérit.

Commercial.—Zonal geranium, cv. ‘Fishelen’.

Inflorescence:

Umbel.—Shape: Semi-spherical. Average diameter: 116 mm. Average depth:48 mm. Peduncle length: 138 mm. Peduncle color: Medium green, RHS 143 A.Peduncle texture: Slightly rough, with weak pubescence. Pedicel length:24 mm. Pedicel color: Light green in the middle part, RHS 144 B, noanthocyanin under greenhouse conditions. Number of flowers per umbel:Approximately 30. Lastingness of the individual umbel: Average for thecommercial zonal varieties with relatively large flower heads, lastingapproximately 16-17 days in greenhouse conditions in spring at a minimumtemperature of 18° C.

Corolla.—Average diameter: 47 mm. Form: Weakly semi-double. Shape:Cup-shaped, open in the middle and nearly round. Number of petals: 5-7.Number of petaloids: 1-2. Color of petaloids: RHS 41 B-41 C, withwhitish filament or base. Color (general tonality from a distance ofthree meters): Salmon-pink, little white. Color of upper petals: Maincolor: RHS 41 B-C. Margin: RHS 43 D. Markings of upper petals: Nodistinct markings, small white ‘eye’ at the base. Color of lower petals:Approximately RHS 43 D. Markings of lower petals: Main color is RHS 41B-C, near the margin is RHS 43 D. Color of lower surface of petals: RHS43 D or lighter. Color of sepals: Light green, RHS 144 B. Number ofsepals: 5. Texture of sepals: Smooth, apart from the weak pubescence.

Bud (immediately before unfolding of the petals).—Shape: Elliptical.Color (sepals): Light green, RHS 143 B-C. Color (petals): Salmon, RHS 40B or lighter. Length: Approximately 19 mm. Width: Approximately 9 mm.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Approximately 5 fertile anthers,whitish filaments, yellow-orange pollen. Gynoecium: 5-6-lobed stigma,reddish style and stigma, approximately RHS 43 A. Fertility/seed set: Afew seeds are developed, mainly in late summer and autumn.

Spring flowering response period.—In Hillscheild, Germany, in 1998,plants had on average 0.7 flowers opened 11 weeks after planting ofunrooted cuttings.

Outdoor flower production.—Medium to many inflorescence, continuousdevelopment of flowers throughout the summer.

Blooming habit.—Continuous flowering from about May to mid-September;after which flowering may be poor depending on general conditions andlight intensity. There is no noticeable fragrance apart from theslightly aromatic scent that is typical of all zonal varieties.

Lastingness of the individual bloom.—Typical/average for semi-doubleflowers of zonal varieties, lasting approximately 9 days in greenhouseconditions in spring at a temperature of 18° C.; due to the opencup-shape, they are not susceptible to unfavorable weather conditions.

Durability.—Average shatter resistance for a semi-double floweredvariety, good rain resistance and little fading or burning of flowers,relatively good outdoor performance.

Plant:

Foliage.—Form: Kidney-shaped with an open base. Margin: Bicrenated.Texture: Surface slightly velvety, dull. Size of leaf: 89 mm. Color ofupper surface: Medium green, RHS 137 C. Color of lower surface: RHS 137D. Color of zonation: Strong, brown, approximately RHS 166 A,distinctness is 7 (in the range from 1=“no zonation” to 9=“verystrong”). Tolerance of botrytis: Average.

General appearance and form.—Internode length: 10-20 mm. Branchingpattern: 4.7 naturally-occurring branches. Size of foliage: 13.0 c mhigh and 31.8 cm in diameter.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named‘Fishelen’, as described